In pictures: RAF photograph of the year
- Published
Royal Air Force photographers, both service and civilian, have been competing for the title of RAF Photographer of the Year. From more than 1,000 images, winners were selected in 12 categories. Here we present a selection of the best.
This shot of a Typhoon by Senior Aircraftman (SAC) Graham Taylor from RAF Coningsby was one of his portfolio that helped him take the overall title. He said: "It was a massive shock, but I’m very honoured to have won."
The photograph of the year award went to SAC Andy Masson from RAF Marham for this picture of a Tornado GR4 flying over The Shard in London.
Cpl Paul Oldfield captured this dramatic shot of the Crash Fire and Rescue Section practising their firefighting drills. The drill is aptly named "hot drills" as the scenario is intended to replicate a crash-landing or fire involving a fast jet.
A butterfly in some vegetation caught the attention of Cpl Bibby, despite the looming presence of a Sentinel R1 at an airfield in Dakar, Senegal
An air-to-air shot by Cpl Mike Jones shows a Tornado GR4 training over the north-west of England ahead of deployment to Afghanistan.
An image of a fingerprint captured on an RAF cigarette lighter was revealed using a yellow dye-based process in the RAF Police labs at Henlow. The lighter was then put under a specific UV light before covering the camera lens with a matching filter to make the print appear bright blue. This shot by SAC Lee Matthews won him the Technical Engineering section.
An unusual view of the inside of a radome that sits on top of a Sentry aircraft, photographed by SAC Blake Carruthers.
Adam Fletcher's photograph shows former and current Formula 1 drivers David Coulthard and Lewis Hamilton when they joined the crew of the Red Arrows while making a film for the BBC ahead of the Silverstone Grand Prix.
A Royal Air Force Chinook was pictured by SAC Nicholas Egan contributing to aid flights around Northern Ireland, delivering much-needed supplies and animal feed to stricken farming communities during adverse weather.
The competition was judged by group picture editor for the Press Association Martin Keene, head of photographic services at Royal Collection Trust Shruti Patel, and professional photographer David Spurden.